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R501 SVJ

1998 BMW Z3

Green Petrol 2793cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires23 Oct 2026
Tests25 (16 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate64%

Mileage

149,638 mi
Last recorded149,638 miles
Recorded on17 Oct 2025
Typical for 1998 BMW Z376,857 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR501 SVJ
MakeBMW
ModelZ3
Year1998
ColourGreen
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,793cc

All premium checks include

50+ data points
Finance Check (Experian) Insurance Write-off Salvage Auction Stolen Check Previous Owners Ex-Taxi, Police, NHS Mileage Anomaly Import / Export Scrapped Check Plate Changes

MOT History

16 pass 9 fail
Pass 17 Oct 2025 149,638 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 3mm (5.2.3 (e))

Nearside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material front to rears (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 2.5mm (5.2.3 (e))

Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Pass 24 Oct 2024 143,498 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 3mm (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 27 Jul 2023 136,951 miles
Fail 18 Jul 2023 136,935 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Fail 28 Jun 2023 136,893 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Pass 13 Mar 2018 130,343 miles

Central Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated both (3.6.B.4d)

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Fail 9 Mar 2018 130,288 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Central Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated both (3.6.B.4d)

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 12 Feb 2016 117,198 miles

Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Fail 2 Feb 2016 117,185 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Nearside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Side repeater not working (1.4.A.2c)

Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 7 Jan 2015 109,163 miles

all brake discs corroded

Fail 5 Jan 2015 109,163 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

Nearside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

Nearside Rear coil spring broken (2.4.C.1a)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

all brake discs corroded

Pass 31 Oct 2013 100,872 miles
Pass 31 Oct 2013 100,872 miles

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 31 Oct 2012 94,175 miles
Fail 31 Oct 2012 94,175 miles

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Pass 24 Oct 2011 88,395 miles
Fail 24 Oct 2011 88,395 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Pass 18 Oct 2010 81,040 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Fail 18 Oct 2010 81,040 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Pass 23 Oct 2009 73,753 miles
Pass 6 Nov 2008 68,214 miles

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

just passed full cat test, advise diagnosis and rectification

Pass 2 Nov 2007 62,702 miles
Pass 4 Nov 2006 56,681 miles

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Pass 26 Oct 2005 46,898 miles
Fail 21 Oct 2005 46,898 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

Nearside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

How Reliable is the BMW Z3?

Based on 498,063 MOT tests across 26,000 vehicles.

73.2%
Pass Rate
2,128
Miles/Year
29
Year Lifespan
26,000
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Brake pipe excessively corroded 17,103
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 15,600
Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint 10,064
position lamp(s) not working 9,305
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive 7,992
Full BMW Z3 reliability report

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R501 SVJ is a 1998 BMW Z3 in Green with a 2,793cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 64%.

Across all 1998 BMW Z3 models, the average MOT pass rate is 72.1% with a typical mileage of 76,857 miles. This particular vehicle has a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

The most common reason a BMW Z3 fails its MOT is brake pipe excessively corroded, accounting for 17,103 recorded failures. If you're considering buying R501 SVJ, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW Z3 typically stays on UK roads for around 29 years. At 28 years old, this BMW Z3 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R501 SVJ?

You can check the full history of R501 SVJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R501 SVJ registered?

R501 SVJ is a 1998 BMW Z3, first registered on 16 January 1998.

Is R501 SVJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for R501 SVJ shows 25 tests with a 64% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R501 SVJ have outstanding finance?

Finance checks require a premium vehicle report. This checks against all major UK finance providers to see if there is any outstanding finance on R501 SVJ. If you buy a car with outstanding finance, the finance company can repossess it.

No warranty or guarantee of accuracy is provided for any free data on this page. The data guarantee applies only to information obtained through the purchase of a full check.